Winners of the Aria/Concerto Competition were featured at a Southeast Kansas Symphony concert on Feb. 21 at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. Gavin Burdette, a senior majoring in music performance, played the trombone; Mary Jo Peterson, a senior majoring in family and consumer science major and a music minor, sang soprano; Jack Stefanoni, a junior majoring in music education, played the vibraphone. The concert also featured a piece composed by student Jude Wolfe, a senior majoring in music composition.
“I felt very proud of my performance,” Peterson said. “I got to enjoy Jack’s performance backstage and Gavin’s performance from the audience, and they were both spectacular. In my day-to-day life as a vocalist, I am often around other voice students or in choir, so getting to see instrumentalists perform is so cool to me. It’s like a superpower.”
The program started with a short string piece, “The Petit Serenade” by Yokoyama, followed by the first movement of the vibraphone concerto by Emmanuel Sejourne, which Stefanoni played. Peterson sang “Laurie’s Song” from The Tender Land, composed by Aaron Copland. Wolfe’s piece, “Sky Grazer,” finished the first half of the concert.
Stefanoni felt pleased with his performance and enjoyed it.
“I feel great about my performance,” Stefanoni said. “It went well, and I had a lot of fun performing it, which I think is the most important thing. The piece itself is beautiful, and I felt a lot of emotions being able to perform it in front of so many supportive and influential people in my life and backed up by an orchestra of my peers.”
Seeing his friends perform made the concert special, said Stefanoni.
“This particular concert felt special to me because of who else was involved,” Stefanoni said. “Jude Wolfe, a great friend of mine and an amazing musician/composer, had his first work for an orchestra premiered at the concert. Gavin Burdette, another great friend of mine, performed his trombone concerto.”
A piece called “Procession of the Nobles” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov followed intermission, and the concert ended with the “Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra” by Ferdinand David, which was performed by Burdette.
Family and friends of the performers came to support the featured students. Kacey White, a senior majoring in nursing, came to support Peterson, but enjoyed the whole concert.
“I thought the performances were incredible,” White said. “Each performer was unique and it was evidence how much work, time and passion they’ve put into their music. When Mary Jo sang her solo, it honestly gave me chills. Her voice just has that impact on people, and I’m sure the whole room felt the same way.”
Peterson felt very supported and enjoyed singing her first solo with an orchestra.
“Everyone in the orchestra was very supportive and welcoming to me during rehearsals and backstage before the performance, especially Dr. Miranda,” Peterson said. “What made the performance special to me was it was my first time ever singing with an orchestra as a soloist.
The piece was specifically special to Peterson.
“My amazing voice professor, Dr. Grace Steiner, gave this piece to me as part of my repertoire last year,” Peterson said. “When we revisited it, this fall while preparing for the audition, I kind of fell in love with the song all over again. As I sing it, I put myself in Laurie’s shoes as a girl who doesn’t know what the future holds for her, but longs to explore everything the world has to offer. Singing “Laurie’s Song” at the concert was a moment where for four minutes, everyone in that room could feel that same sense of wonder and possibility with me.”